Changes to regulations means battery recycling scheme is "a bit more manageable" for smaller retailers but some issues still need to be resolved.
The Government has acted on concerns raised by the British Hardware Federation (BHF) over the new battery recycling regime. However, one of the trade association's main worries has still not been resolved - the dangers of storing and moving lithium batteries.

By February 1, 2010, retailers who sell more than about a pack of AA batteries a day will have to start taking back used batteries from customers and recycling them. According to the BHF, the method by which is this done will impact far more on small businesses than larger ones.

BHF information manager Rebecca Abbott said: "Used batteries become classed as hazardous waste as soon as you put them in the boot of your car to transport them to a collection point, so our worry was that small rural businesses, if they had to transport waste batteries any distance at all, would find it difficult to participate legally.""

In response, the Government has issued an order exempting up to 333kg of used batteries from the regulations controlling the transport of hazardous materials.

The Government has also raised the minimum volume of annual sales at which a retailer would be required to take back used batteries. This has been increased from the proposed 16kg per year to 32kg - not quite the 100kg the BHF had called for but, it said, "still a welcome sign that the authorities are actually listening".

But the issue of storage still remains. Loose Lithium batteries can cause fires through friction and sparking. The BHF Group argues that, "simply piling up batteries of unknown condition and unknown chemical content is inherently risky, whether in a collection bin in a shop or at an open public collection point".

The trade association feels there is still work to be done before battery recycling becomes a completely practical solution and has called on the Government to help "properly connect up all parts of the battery life-cycle circuit".